


We Only Get One

by AKnightOfAGoodKing



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Best Friends, Bullying, Friendship, Protectiveness, saying "I love you", soft bois
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-20
Updated: 2019-02-20
Packaged: 2019-10-30 06:14:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17823431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AKnightOfAGoodKing/pseuds/AKnightOfAGoodKing
Summary: Or: 5 Things About Being Jackson's Best Friend, 1 Thing About Being Danny's





	We Only Get One

**Author's Note:**

> **[DO NOT REPOST/REUSE MY WORK(S) WITHOUT MY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND PERMISSION]**
> 
> I just wanted to write about best friends being soft bois, and I've always wanted to write something for Dany and Jackson. I'm gonna write one about Stiles and Scott too! :)

In Beacon Hills High School, Jackson Whittemore was like a king. Not everyone would bend over backwards to do everything he said but they kept out of his way. He rarely disrespected the teachers and most of them liked him anyway, and he kept stuff out of class time and turned in his assignments. He wasn't the smartest kid at school, but everyone knew him. 

So of course, everyone knew about what kind of person he was, that he was that coolest asshole who knew how to stay out of trouble, or at least thought they did. But there was a change in his personality. He became a bit more aggressive but in subtle ways. There were lines you didn't cross before, but now, he was went out of his way to make sure you knew. It was protective and territorial at the same time. 

It was even more so when it came to the two people he cared for the most: his girlfriend and queen of the school, Lydia Martin, and his best friend and all-around great guy, Danny Māhealani.  

Lydia was simple: don't fuck with her. With all she had going for her, she didn't need Jackson to stand up for her, but she was definitely the one who would be the better person in a situation that could easily become explosive. If a guy called her a slut or a bitch, she'd ignore them, but if Jackson heard about it, he came after the guy. 

But nobody came after Lydia at school, not if you want to make friends here. She wasn't cruel, but she was very influential. If she didn't like you, everyone didn't like you because she was pretty and nice and interesting once you get to talk to her. If she called you out, you deserved it. 

That couldn't be said about Danny though, there were some guidelines for reasons most people didn't know about. It might have something to do with the fact that Jackson almost died once, but if you knew him as much as Danny did, you'd know he'd always been like this because he was your best friend.

* * *

1\. _No strings attached means no strings attached._

Danny was pretty social, and like a lot of teens, he liked to party, mainly going to clubs he wasn't allowed to be in. There were do many things you could do with a good fake ID and some connections. And most nights he went out, Jackson was there too, drinking nearby  with Danny in sight and refusing every guy who'd hit on him. 

"You know you don't have to babysit me, right?" Danny asked sarcastically but no bite. "I've gone clubbing without you before."

"Things are different now," Jackson replied, taking a shot which had no effect on him. "Go fuck around around like you always do, I'm not cock blocking you. Just go and find some guy, tell him no strings attached, and I'll see you in the morning."

Danny rolled his eyes, but he did just that, walking away to dance with a tall guy with blue eyes and wavy brown hair who was pretty cute. His name was Matt, and they ended up making out in the bathroom stall twenty minutes later. 

The next morning, craving breakfast, Danny headed out to the closest diner for takeout, and to his suprise, he was caught by Matt from last night when he entered.

"Hey, baby, I didn't know you lived around here," the other teen said, winking from beneath his wavy hair. He didn't seem to bear any marks of wear and tear from last night. "Maybe it's fate, we should head back to my place and see where it goes."

Danny resisted the urge to scoff. "I said no strings attached, Matt," he said, frowning. He made it clear before the first time they kissed. "Not interested in going anywhere with you."

"That's not nice, seeing how you were attached to me all night."

"One night at the club doesn't make us soulmates."

Matt huffed with irritation, and he opened his mouth to say more when the door opened. Danny looked over his shoulder and was relieved to see it was Jackson, who stayed over after they left the club. Matt looked accusatory, Jackson attractive enough to catch a lot of wandering eyes, especially if he was just sitting at the bar the entire time. 

"Danny, did you order extra bacon for me?" Jackson asked, grumbling about how it was too early to be up when he could be back in bed.

"No," Danny said, glancing over to Matt, "I was interrupted. It's fine, he's just leaving."

Matt shook his head. "Only if you say you'll call me," he said. "Your ass is fine, Danny."

"I said no. Strings. Attached."

Jackson stepped between Danny and Matt like a wall. "You heard him," he warned, "stop wasting everyone's time and  _scram_."

Matt glared. "Who are you, man? Danny didn't say he had a boyfriend," he said. 

Jackson's eyes glowed in anger. "I'm the guy who's gonna break your nose if you don't walk away." 

Danny grabbed Jackson by the elbow, tugging to leave. "Let's just go," he suggested, the calm to his best friend's storm. "We can get breakfast somewhere else." 

Jackson resisted just a bit but complied, looking back so he could stare Matt down. "No strings attached means _no strings attached_ , asshole," he repeated. "Don't come near him again, or else." He turned around, placing an arm over Danny's shoulders, and they walked out. 

They didn't say a thing as they got into Jackson's car, and Jackson drove off to another place they both liked two miles away. 

"Thanks, Jackson," Danny said, leaning back on his seat.

Jackson hummed without even looking over. 

Danny smiled, and they had breakfast with extra bacon.

* * *

 2.  _Whether sitting or standing, space is always made, or a spot is given up._

They'd known each other since elementary school, before Danny came out proudly gay and when Jackson was just the cool kid but not yet the popular one, and ever since, they'd always saved a spot for each other at the lunch table and in class and everything in between. 

"You guys need a ride?" Danny asked James and Keith, teammates of the Beacon Hills High lacrosse team. 

It was late with no more buses home after practice, and Keith's car was in the shop after a fender bender. He and James carpooled since they lived on the same street and were pretty good friends, so the two were happy to jump at a ride home, especially with Danny because he was a nice guy. 

"Really, Danny?" James asked. "That'd be great!"

"Thanks, man!" Keith added, patting Danny on the shoulder. 

Danny nodded, packing up the last of his things. "It's no problem," he replied, "Jackson said he doesn't mind since you're on the way. He's already outside, so let's go."

James and Keith looked at each other. They were on good terms with their captain, but they didn't really interact outside of practice and games. The two were a year younger and new members, so they got a bit nervous but followed Danny anyway. Jackson had, like, the coolest car on campus. 

When they arrived at the parking lot, carrying their bags and equipment, Jackson was leaning against the passenger side door, killing time on his phone. He looked up before anyone could say anything, as if he heard them from that far away. 

"Put your stuff in the trunk," he said, the trunk popping open with a press of his key fob.

James and Keith did as they were told, silently awing at the black Porsche. They were going to ride in it, that was serious shit right there. 

"Either of you guys want to ride shotgun?" Danny teased, seeing the look on their faces, and James nearly tripped at the question. 

The younger teens were cut off before they even had the chance.

"Do you want to walk home?" Jackson asked, raising an exasperated eyebrow. He stopped leaning against this car and opened the door. "Get in the car, Danny. Lydia is waiting for me. You too, Hansen, McDonald."

Danny laughed, getting in, and James and Keith got in the back without being told twice. 

* * *

 3.  _Clothes are to be worn if left behind or given._

"Is it me, or do you smell a lot like Jackson these days?" Scott asked out of the blue when he and Stiles came up to Danny at the lockers. "I know you guys hang out a lot, but it lingers stronger than usual." 

"Oh, this is his shirt," Danny explained as a possibility why, tugging at the blue fabric. "He's been leaving clothes at my house, saying he'll get it back later, but he hasn't really. He's left a whole drawer full at this point, but whatever, it might as well be mine."

Stiles laughed a bit. "Scott does that too," he noted, pointing his thumb at the brown jacket he was wearing. "He hasn't asked for it back though."

"Just keep it," Scott said without pause. "It makes it easier to track you, and it'll keep others away."

Stiles' eyes widened a bit. "Oh, my god, Scott, are you scent claiming me?" 

Scott frowned, not getting it. "No?" 

Danny let out a snort. "Yeah, that makes a lot of sense actually," he said. "He hadn't left this much clothing until recently. Well, as long as he leaves good quality behind, I'll wear it. Kinda regretting not bringing a jacket though. I didn't think it'd get this cold so fast."

"You can take this one," Stiles offered, referring to Scott's jacket. "I'm wearing a long sleeve underneath."

Scott frowned with a pout. "Hey, that's mine," he said, lamely protesting. 

"It's fine, Stiles," Danny said, laughing at how cute Scott could get. Thank god the other teen got so hot. "It's just for today." 

He made it through half the day before wishing he took Stiles up on that offer, though it was hard to say yes at the look of Scott's face. The classrooms were heated, but it was like they decided it'd be too much to heat up the hallways too. Danny was hugging himself throughout passing periods. 

It wasn't until lunch that he found some solace, taking the empty seat next to Jackson, Lydia cuddling against him on the other side. Danny leaned against his best friend, taking comfort in how warm Jackson had become. 

Lydia didn't even bat an eye about that, and Danny remembered just how lucky he was that she didn't get jealous of him at all. Danny couldn't image life without Jackson, and he knew Jackson loved Lydia. He was always afraid he'd lose his best friend to a girl, but Lydia took him by surprise by caring about him too. They were friends, Lydia reaching around to place her hand on his back.

"Hey, Lydia," Danny greeted back with a smile. She smiled back, looking a little sleepy with her head against Jackson's shoulder. 

"Are you cold, Danny?" she asked, seeing the other teen shiver just a little. "Where's your jacket?" 

"Forgot it at home. I'm good, I'll warm up at practice."

Jackson pointed to his bag on the floor, his varsity jacket sticking out of it. "Wear that," he said. "You're going to get sick." He didn't have to worry about the cold now, and Lydia was wearing her pink cozy sweater. 

Danny smiled, knowing that he couldn't say no, and picked up the jacket, large familiar letters across the back. It was a size bigger than him, but wearing it, he was much warmer now.  

* * *

4.  _Injuries need to be looked over a second time._

"What happened to your hand?" Jackson asked, grabbing Danny by said hand. There was a big square bandage across the palm, a speck of red on it. 

"It's nothing," Danny answered, "Someone was messing around in tech before the bell, and I accidentally cut myself trying to put the handsaw away."

Jackson snarled. "Let me look." 

"It's fine, Jackson."

But his best friend already peeled the bandage off, exposing the thin, healing line of the cut which nearly crossed Danny's entire palm. 

"I'll kill them," Jackson muttered, pressing the bandage back. "Who was it?" 

Danny rolled his eyes, pulling his hand back. "Not telling you, it's just a scratch. Let's go to my house. Mom made poi mochi."

"Fine, but only because your mom's a good cook."

* * *

5\. _When in_ _the event of Jackson's absence, Lydia can, and will, step up on behalf of both of them._

When you make fun of a guy's best friend, it was either because said best friend did or said something stupid or because said best friend was making fun of you too, but you never,  _ever_ make fun of him because he was gay. That was a line you never cross, especially when the last time someone hurt Danny, Jackson nearly ripped that dude's head off. Since then, if someone had an unwanted opinion, they kept their mouths shit if they knew what was good for them. 

When Jackson's parents decided to take a family vacation in the middle of the semester, a few people decided to take advantage of the king's absence to hit him where he wasn't even there. 

Lydia and Danny were at the mall because it was a Saturday and everyone was free. The two of them were talking about the tv drama they both liked, waiting with outside the store the Allison and Scott were still in. 

They were minding their own business, laughing and discussing how Jonathon was slowly breaking Janet's heart because he was falling in love with Chelsey, who was pretending only to like Jonathon as a revenge plot for humiliating her back in high school. The thing though was that Chelsey was slowly falling in love with Jonathon because high school was a long time ago and Jonathan had changed for the better, but Janet had been in love with him since—

"Hey, you Whittemore's little girlfriend?" a voice interrupted. It was some teen boy and two other guys, all of them wearing varsity jackets from a local school. The one who spoke was Langstrom, one of the defenders. His friends were Ewan and Simmons, both attackers. 

Lydia looked over, unimpressed.

"Back off," Danny said, pulling her closer to him. He wasn't impressed either, but there was no point in starting an argument in the middle of the mall. "Save your jeering for the field, Langstrom."

Langstrom scoffed. "You Milani?" he asked, butchering Danny's name, and he knew it judging by the way his friends laughed. 

" _Māhealani_."  _Asshole._

"Cheating on Whittemore while he's away?" Simmons asked. "I guess she's pretty enough to get your manliness back with." 

"Pig," Lydia spit out, glaring at the defender. 

"Got tired of getting fucked, Māhealani?" Ewan asked. "Need to take out a hot chick once in a while to know if you can still get it up?"

"You're pathetic," Danny retorted, not rising to the bait.

"Not as pathetic as you, Milani," Langstrom mocked, "this town could have less people like you. Your kind is enough of a fucking mess without all the cock sucking."

 _Your kind._ That was a slap in the face, Danny rarely had to deal with shit like this because he hung out with the right crowd and kept away from people like Langstrom for a good reason. He'd never felt ashamed for being gay, but someone always had to come around once in a while to call him out as if he was different from everybody else. It was two simple words, but he hated them. 

"Let's go check on Allison and Scott," Danny said to Lydia, biting the inside of his cheeks out of frustration. 

He took her by the hand, but Langstrom reached out to grab Danny, not done mocking him. Lydia slapped Langstrom's hand away before it could even touch her friend, the expression on her lovely face flared up. 

"Touch him and you'll regret it, Langstrom," the strawberry blonde warned, standing between the rival team and Danny. "Now leave, or I'll make you." 

The players laughed because how could a petite girl like Lydia could ever do to them, three lacrosse players who worked out every other day? 

"You going to tell on us to your boyfriend?" Ewan mocked. 

"Well, it's not going to be just her breaking your face in if you don't step back." 

They turned their heads to the store entrance. Allison and Scott just came out, having bought nothing. Scott probably heard the commotion from inside. 

"What are you going to do about it, princess?" Langstrom asked, rolling his eyes because another girl thought she could take him. 

"This." 

Allison stepped into Langstrom's space without warning, and quick, fluid moves, she knocked the defender off his feet with a kick behind his knees and a strong push against his chest, making him land on his ass in a snap. Ewan and Simmons took a step back out fo surprise. 

"If I see you again, it's going to be worse than that," she said, being pulled away by Scott so she didn't do anything else. They were still at the mall, of course. 

To finish that off, Lydia took the Starbucks coffee Scott was holding and proceeded to dump the rest of the caramel frappe onto the fallen Langstrom, and she stepped over him, tugging Danny with her without looking back. Danny laughed at the look of disappointment on Scott's face having lost his drink, pulling the other boy, and Allison, with him. 

The next time, Beacon High played that team, Jackson played a bit harder than he should've, but Lydia was cheering extra loud from the stands, Allison at her side. He had approval. 

* * *

0.  _Danny has one best friend and only the one._

When Danny was ten, his pet goldfish died, and Jackson bought him a small cactus with a small red flower because, "It'll take longer to die." 

"Thanks, Jackson," Danny replied, hiccuping even they buried Mister Gold half an hour ago. He held the plant firmly in his hands, sitting out on the front porch. 

Jackson sat right next to him, awkwardly fiddling with his hands because he didn't really know how to comfort his friend. He was just a kid too, and he was getting used to the concept of death.

"Stop crying," he tried, frowning, "you still have me." 

"But Mister Gold is dead," Danny argued, crying again. 

Jackson huffed, a little offended. "Well, I'm more than just a goldfish, I'm you're best friend."

Danny blinked, confused. "No, you're not." 

"Well, I am now. So there, be happy, you get to tell everyone that Jackson Whittemore is your best friend." 

Danny wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "That's not best friends work, Jackson," he refuted. 

"Yeah, so? I'll make it even better, you're _my_ best friend. We only get one, I'll punch you if you ditch for some dumb kid in class. You get the coolest kid in school, and no one's cooler than me." 

Danny couldn't help but giggle, thinking that Jackson was being pushy, but it did make him feel better. No one could ever replace Mister Gold, but now he had a best friend and he was a best friend too. 

"Promise?" he asked, not wanting to go through another goldfish again. 

"That I'm the coolest?" Jackson joked. "Yeah."

Danny bumped against the other boy against the shoulder. "That we're best friend, stupid."

Jackson crossed his arms. "Fuck yeah," he said with a serious face. 

Danny gasped, nearly dropping his cactus. "That's a bad word! You're going to get grounded!" 

"If you tell on me, I'm gonna hit you, Danny!" 

And funny enough, Jackson kept his word, even as more people started throwing themselves at his feet because he was rich, because he was tall, because he was Jackson Whittemore. He always picked Danny first and invited him everywhere, even when Danny wasn't as well known as he was now.

"If Danny can't come, it's not cool enough for me. Don't even fucking bother asking me again, dickwad." 

Even when Jackson started dating girls, he saved time for Danny, even going as far as dumping a few of them because they kept complaining that he should move plans with Danny for them.

"I'm his only best friend, he'd be dead without me. I can have other people in my life besides you."

Danny felt a little guilty whenever Jackson brushed off other people for him, but it made him very happy every time. 

"You're my new best friend," Jennifer Blake said, holding yesterday's biology notes. 

Danny laughed, shaking his head. "Sorry, can't," he replied lightly. "I already have one."

"You can always have more than more."

"Yeah, but I only have the one." 

"Wish I had someone like that. I've had fallouts with a few 'best' friends. You two are really close."

"Yeah, Jackson's pretty lucky to have me, I'm too cute too pass up."

"But you're special. I've never seen a guy throw someone off just so he could sit next to his bestie before. He loves you."

Danny smiled. "He does."

Jennifer sighed. "Well, thanks again, Danny, I'll see you later." She waved as she walked out. 

Danny barely had a moment to head out when an arm wrapped over his neck, a solid figure standing closely behind him. A chin was placed over his shoulder, weight resting comfortably on him.

"'Bestie'?" Jackson repeated, almost in disbelief. "I've never called you that."

"No, you've never," Danny replied, clasping a hand over the arm around him. "Hey, I love you."

Jackson glanced up, smirking. "What's not to love?"

Danny let out a snort. "God, you're such a jerk. My parents are gone this weekend, let's have a party."

"Nah, there was one last week. Let's just grab pizza and play video games." 

"And get your ass handed to you? If that's what you want."

Jackson scoffed, offended, and he moved to Danny's side, keeping his arm over his best friend's shoulder. He said nothing else as they walked to his car, parting only to get in. 

**Author's Note:**

> If you like my work(s), please check out [my Twitter](https://twitter.com/kappachyun?s=09).


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